Brandi Carlile and Elisabeth Moss Team for Emotional “Party of One”

Generations of the LGBTQ community are enjoying the basic civil right to marriage that others before them never had. The thought of being told you’re unworthy of unconditional love is beyond inconceivable in today’s age, but when you finally have the right to it, it won’t be perfect all the time. No marriage is. But it’s still worth fighting for.

That’s part of the message Brandi Carlile wanted to articulate when she sat down to write the closing song of her Grammy-nominated By the Way, I Forgive You with her longtime creative partners, brothers Tim and Phil Hanseroth.

“Writing ‘Party Of One’ was a cathartic way out of one of my longest nights,” Carlile says. “Marriage equality was never a part of my story growing up. It is still a new concept, even to me. I think that after being told for long enough that being married isn’t something you’re worthy of, you fight that deep down demon in a way you can’t recognize until things get really hard.

“I think there is profound determination inside of all of us to prove to the rest of the world that we can make love last and weather the storms, just like anyone else. At the end of the day, marriage means something to me. We are witnessing an entire generation gaining access to a basic civil right and all of the passion and responsibility that comes with it.”

Working with director Bérénice Eveno, Golden Globe winner Elisabeth Moss brings Carlile’s narrative to life in an emotional art piece that was created with an all-female film crew. Moss serves as the creative director, producer and principal actor in the piece and gives a commanding visual performance that cuts to the core. She stars opposite Nicole Disson.

“I knew I wanted to be involved in this music video the moment I heard this incredible song,” Moss says. “I am so grateful to Brandi, everyone at the record company, Whooden Collective, and our exceptionally talented crew, especially Berenice, for pulling this shoot off in one day. It is something I am exceptionally proud of. As I told Brandi, I am on call for her for any music video she needs me for from now on!”

“I wanted to capture a love so deep that it permeates everything around you, every object and every inch of space,” Eveno adds, “a love that haunts you and never let’s go. That’s what this song is. It haunts you and never let’s go of you.”

Carlile adds Moss was her top choice for the video.

“When I thought about making a video for ‘Party of One’ I couldn’t stop picturing Elisabeth’s face,” Carlile says. “I believe she is the absolute best actor out there right now, no one has ever impacted me so much without saying a word. I never even asked anyone else. I sent Elisabeth a letter, and she called back and suggested creating a love story about two women and using a female crew. A brilliant group of women is responsible for every part of this incredibly human love story, and I’m more proud of it than anything visual I’ve ever done.”

Carlile heads to the 61st annual Grammy awards as the ceremony’s most-nominated female artist with six nods including album of the year for By the Way, I Forgive You. Before the big night, she will headline her Girls Just Wanna Weekend, her inaugural concert vacation at the Hard Rock Hotel in Riviera Maya, Mexico, starting Jan. 30.